February 9, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced that thanks to the Affordable Care Act, students enrolled in health coverage through their college or university will benefit from the new consumer protections included in the new law. By clarifying that these student health plans are treated as individual health insurance coverage, the new law will afford the same protections to students as consumers in individual insurance plans are enjoying.

“Students at Nevada’s colleges and universities should have the same protections in their health insurance that the rest of the public now has thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to stand between students and their doctors by imposing lifetime limits, rescinding coverage when students get sick or excluding students under age 19 with pre-existing conditions,” said Reid. “For many students, these plans are their only option, which is why it’s important their plans offer the same quality, affordable coverage that is guaranteed in the new health care law.”

New protections include:

• No Lifetime Limits on Coverage: Insurance companies would no longer be able to impose lifetime dollar limits on the amount they spend on health benefits in student health plans.
• No Arbitrary Rescissions of Insurance Coverage: Insurance companies can no longer drop coverage when student health plan enrollees get sick because of an unintentional mistake on an application.
• No Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions for Students Under Age 19:  Insurance companies cannot deny or exclude coverage for students under age 19 because of a pre-existing condition.

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